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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524169">Breath Work</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nekosume/pseuds/Nekosume'>Nekosume</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Healing Hands [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Healer Zuko (Avatar), Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Not Beta Read, Oblivious Zuko (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:28:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nekosume/pseuds/Nekosume</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko's favorite color is green.</p><p>Azula teases him endlessly for it. But it is the color of life, like the turtleduck's backs, and the sprigs of grass that push through the tiles of the palace halls.</p><p>Later, he supposes that should have been the first sign that he had everything wrong from the beginning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Healing Hands [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>439</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zuko's favorite color is green.</p><p>Azula teases him endlessly for it. But it is the color of life, like the turtleduck's backs, and the sprigs of grass that push through the tiles of the palace halls.</p><p>Azula doesn't understand. Her favorite color is of course the vibrant red of the fire nation. She says Zuko is a dirt loving traitor for liking the color green. But she doesn't know.</p><p>Green is the color of Zuko's fire when he felt himself drowning.</p><p>It first happens when he is three and the sea of Ember Islands is thrashing him beneath the current. Breath is ripped from his throat and his sight is murky black until his father drops him on the shore. Zuko coughs salt and bile and feels sand clinging to his palms.</p><p>His father leaves him as mother rubs his back in small circles.</p><p>It is alone in his room when it happens, with his mind filled with worry of weather the eaglehawk or turtlecrab will survive. He knows that someday he will have to decide who lives and dies, the Fire Lord holds that responsibility and many others. He thought he would be good at it. He isn't sure anymore, he wants both animals to thrive and he isn't sure how to go about making that happen.</p><p>It seems like one must die for the other to live. And three year old Zuko doesn't think that is right.</p><p>He breathes heavily into the beachy air and emerald smoke plumes from his nostrils.</p><p>Zuko startles and throws himself back against the headboard of his bed. He is so surprised that he barely registers that the throb in his lungs has subsided.</p><p>He puts his hand to his nose and pinches.</p><p>That's new.</p><p>The next morning he tells his mother about the green smoke. How it almost glittered, and yes, it came from his nose, and no it wasn't a sneeze! Don't be gross, mom!</p><p>Maybe that was him bending. Fire benders can have green smoke right?</p><p>Ursa grins at her little boy as he punches the air and the most he does is displace the air around his chubby hands. She pats his head as he pouts.</p><p>--</p><p>His first bending isn't until a year to the day after Azula's when anger and shame surges through him.</p><p>It is bright orange.</p><p>--</p><p>It doesn't happen again until he is eight.</p><p>Kiki, the tea server and newest servant in the palace trips into a bow at the sight of him tearing through the kitchen (again), and drops tiny red and white cups. Her arms flail through the air trying to catch them and they shatter in her hands.</p><p>She looks terrified and wide eyed as she flicks her gaze from Zuko to her hands to the floor and-</p><p>“Wow. That's a lot of blood.”</p><p>She makes a weird high pitched keening noise as Zuko edges around the drips of crimson and puts her hands in his.</p><p>“Are you okay?”</p><p>She rapidly nods her head up and down and tries to pull her hands away. She stutters apologies, but Zuko can't really tell what she's saying.And Zuko may be small but he's not stupid. Being okay doesn't usually equal a pool of blood, at least to him. Azula probably disagrees.</p><p>He thinks of healer Tama and his exasperated mutterings whenever Zuko visits his nook of the palace. (Which is getting more frequent as Zuko's bending plateaus and Azula's soar) How Tama kicks him out earlier than before. How he holds his head in his hands and pinches his nose. He's not a bender, but sometimes Zuko thinks he'd like to be with how often his nostrils flare and how he has to take so many deep calming breaths.</p><p>Zuko doesn't want to take Kiki there, Tama is scary and she looks terrified enough.</p><p>His hands are getting bloody now and Kiki keeps trying to tug her hands away, which really isn't helping the bleeding issue. She should stop that.</p><p>Zuko remembers cutting himself on the swords Master Piandao had him practice with: the sting and throb. Zuko was banned from practice for a whole two days as his hands healed. Tama was not pleased.</p><p>He wishes he could save Kiki the trouble.</p><p>It is with that thought that Zuko feels his hands warm and suddenly they're green and white and pink.</p><p>“Prince Zuko!” Kiki shouts.</p><p>Zuko rips his hands away. He hasn't had a bending accident since his first year of practice. He flits around Kiki and hopes he didn't burn her badly.</p><p>She holds her hands to her chest, fists tight. Then her eyes widen and she holds her palms out in front of her. The cuts are smaller, pink and tight at the edges.</p><p>She meets Zuko's eyes, and the wide shocked look in them is mirrored.</p><p>Zuko takes her hands again and Kiki lets him. He thinks of the color green, wanting Kiki to be better. It sort of works, and his hands alight, weaker and pale jade green instead of vibrant grass and canopy. Her cuts knit back together before his eyes and leave thin white lines across her fingers and palms.</p><p>Kiki opens her mouth and Zuko realizes distantly that these are the first not hysterical words he's ever heard from her, “Prince Zuko.”</p><p>Zuko stares at her hands and at his own.</p><p>So the green wasn't a dream. He wonders if father will be proud of him like he was of Azula's first blue flame.</p><p>He doesn't think it will.</p><p>Father is never happy when Zuko mentions the things he learns. The tidbits from healer Tama makes his father frown, what crown Prince needs healing knowledge? The forms from Master Kunyo evoke disappointment, <em>how many forms are you behind Azula?</em></p><p>And no one is happy when he gets hurt. Mother always makes a sad face, and father looks disappointed and angry.</p><p>Although it does make Azula laugh.</p><p>Father is never happy with him.</p><p>“Don't tell father.”</p><p>“Prince Zuko.”</p><p>“Please.”</p><p>She closes her mouth and wraps her hands in her sleeves. She bows low and murmurs she'll clean up the mess and that Prince Zuko should leave the kitchen, dinner will be ready soon.</p><p>It is mid afternoon and Zuko does as Kiki asks and goes out to the turtleduck pond after snagging a loaf of bread. He hopes no one notices his little theft, the birds always like the fresh bread better than the day old.</p><p>Zuko doesn't realize that the cook saw the whole thing, or the guard, or the assistant cook, or-.</p><p>Doesn't realize that they heard his request and that they silently obey. He certainly doesn't notice that the servants bow a little lower to him.</p><p>--</p><p>It is the next morning at firebending practice that Zuko is very glad he did not tell father about his green fire.</p><p>His flames are dim and barely red as he finishes the forms he knows, barely halfway through the beginner katas.</p><p>Master Kunyo is firm with him, tells him to adjust his feet and breathe Prince Zuko, breathe.</p><p>He punches smoke into the air, kicks wisps in a wide arc.</p><p>Zuko repeats his sets four times before Master Kunyo tells him to meditate. Fire bending requires control and discipline. There is clearly something on the young Prince's mind and he will not tutor a distracted student.</p><p>But Zuko doesn't think he is distracted.</p><p>Despite the events of the other day, Zuko feels clear headed. He woke up with the sun and basked in the crisp air before entering the courtyard. Sleep doesn't settle in his eyes and he feels bright and warm. His inner fire feels alive.</p><p>However, his bending is markedly worse than yesterday morning and Zuko isn't sure why.</p><p>He places the candle in front of him and stares into its soft glow. He closes his eyes and breathes in and out. His center comes quickly to him and his mind clears.</p><p>Zuko does not notice how the shadows grow and shrink as if there were a bonfire in the room.</p><p>Zuko does not notice a bud of green in the candle's yellow light.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tama hates his job because 1) his only real patient is in his office way too often, 2) he heals quicker than anything should, that sword wound should have taken weeks to heal 3) he fell off a what now?</p><p>Kiki was 100% expecting to be banished/killed and instead was awkwarded into submission. She is now mama bear one for Prince Zuko and she will fight you. </p><p>Seriously: I actually have this outlined (unlike the rest of anything I ever do) so this should actually go somewhere!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zuko's world falls apart at age eleven when the leaves from the maple tree are vivid red.</p><p>Lu Ten fell at the siege of Ba Sing Se and Uncle Iroh is devastated and has yet to return to the palace.</p><p>His Mother left in the dead of night, and Zuko was so tired he almost does not remember her last words to him.</p><p>He sits in his room, trying to push Azula's taunts from his head. He tries to rebuild the image of his mother from the other night. Not a day has passed and Zuko feels like he is losing her details.</p><p>He feels like he's failing her.</p><p>Azula and father are still around, though neither seem to care. Zuko tried to hold Azula's hand at grandfather Azulon's funeral and he can still feel the sting of her fire on his fingers.</p><p>He can still feel the brief tremor in her hand before the heat began.</p><p>So Zuko sits by the turtle duck pond and wonders where he's gone wrong. Tries to hold onto his mother's image, her memory, because Father and Azula seem ready to forget.</p><p>None of the servants have come near him since Kiki brought a plate of cubed fresh bread. He hasn't touched it since he sat down.</p><p>He holds his hands in front of him and focuses on his mother's face in the dark. Her hair, the smell of her perfume, her voice.</p><p>“Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko.”</p><p>His hands light a soft green, like the color of mantis wings, before it sputters out.</p><p>Even his green fire knows he can't heal this.</p><p>–-</p><p>His flame doesn't happen again for two years, though agni knows he's tried.</p><p>In the meanwhile Zuko retreats to healer Tama's office and balances herbs with tiny metal weights.</p><p>He was against it at first. The smell of alcohol and astringent herbs were never a comfort for Zuko. They bring to mind too many memories of running, hiding, and pain.</p><p>But Master Kunyo is long banished, and fire bending practice is failure and burns.</p><p>Father seems to prefer seeing Zuko as little as possible.</p><p>And Kiki insists, and Zuko has learned to not argue with Kiki when she gets that look on her face.</p><p>She kneels next to and behind him. The pale red cotton of her clothes swish against the grass. He knows the cloth is going to get wet, it is Winter now, and the cold lives on the grass deep into the afternoon.</p><p>Zuko hadn't paid much mind to her at first. A servant would often kneel by him for a moment as he stared into the water. Then they would depart after leaving his meal, family dinners are no longer held together by his mother's hands, or a plate of bread for the turtle ducklings.</p><p>Kiki stays this time, she doesn't have a tray in her hands. Zuko, if he thought about it, would realize she hardly has any reason to ever visit him. Zuko does not like tea, and to brew and serve the drink is her only job. Yet she is the one to bring bread to him more than any servant.</p><p>It is another quiet afternoon and Zuko finds himself being surprisingly in tune with her breathing. He knows when she is about to speak and turns to look at her.</p><p>“My father left for the war when I was young, younger than you are now.”</p><p>Zuko bristles, thinking this is another lecture to be strong, and why can't he be like Azula. <em>Mother is gone, Zuzu, she doesn't matter anymore. She doesn't care.</em></p><p>She presses on, “He wrote often, and mother and I lived for the days when the post office was swarmed by the hawks from the war front.” She smiles and makes sure she meets Prince Zuko's eyes when he looks at her, because few people do anymore. “You remind me of him sometimes. 'Boisterous as a child', my mother would joke.”</p><p>Zuko pouts but lets her speak.</p><p>“He died.” Kiki doesn't elaborate, and it reminds him of how Azula speaks. <em>She left</em> “And mother is not in shape to work. So I came to the palace. There is always a need for fresh workers at the palace.” She smiles ruefully, as if there is a joke there. “They pay well enough.”</p><p>Kiki reaches out and hovers her hand above Zuko's. It would be disrespectful to touch him, but she leaves her hand out. “Life did not stop for me to mourn. It is cruel and swift like the river. And my mother needs a house and food. I need to go on.”</p><p>“You don't understand-”</p><p>“But I don't stop thinking about him. He or mother.” Kiki cuts him off. And she is walking a dangerous line. And Zuko can hear the heft in words, as she hardly stops to breathe. “And you shouldn't either”</p><p>She pauses and draws her hand back, “Prince Zuko.” she amends quietly.</p><p>Zuko puts his hand over hers even with a frown decorating his face.</p><p>“And because I did not stop, life let me meet you, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>Zuko looks surprised and his hand feels very warm on hers.</p><p>Kiki remembers the colors of his fire, cupped in hands stained with her own blood. Remembers how her life was dreary and gray in the wake of her father's passing. The palace, as gilded and grand as it is, felt lifeless. Her new job was cold, until the Prince swept through it, and she won't let his spirit die here.</p><p>She looks at the bread, for the turtleducks, and says, “You deserve to grieve, but life does not give to those who do not move.”</p><p>Zuko runs his hands through his hair. “I don't know what to do.”</p><p>Kiki's smile is brilliant as she begins to pull away. “You have kind hands, Prince Zuko. I am sure healer Tama could use them. His are roughened with age.”</p><p>Zuko groans and pillows his head into his knees.</p><p>“He likes you more than you think, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>She stands and wipes at the water marks on her dress robes, thinks of the servants surely eavesdropping on them and thinks, <em>we all do.</em></p><p>–</p><p>Zuko frowns. He doesn't want to tell Kiki that she was wrong.</p><p>“I don't like you.”</p><p>But the temptation is very. Very strong.</p><p>“You can read, which is the bare minimum of what I require in my apprentices.” Tama instills, as if Zuko is a peasant from the edges of the nation. “But you hardly have the subtlety to treat a patient.”</p><p>Zuko fiddles with his shirt. “What am I doing wrong?”</p><p>Tama points to the door, from which a noble whisked out of crying. “You told Lady Yoko that her rash was the worst you had ever seen.”</p><p>“It was.”</p><p>“You made comments in regards to the lady's face.”</p><p>“Which was covered in a horrible rash.” Zuko gesticulates to his face wildly to make his point.</p><p>Tama decides that he must use little words and be as obvious as possible. It isn't that the Prince is stupid (he hopes), he just does not understand the motivations or intricacies of people: politics.</p><p>He prays to agni for the future of his country.</p><p>Tama is not the Prince's etiquette or strategy tutor so he elects to start on the hopefully more obvious ground of bedside manner.</p><p>“And why, Prince Zuko, might that cause a woman distress?”</p><p>“Because she has a rash on her face.” Zuko repeats slowly. “It looked itchy.”</p><p>Agni take him. “Beyond that.”</p><p>“She's overly emotional.” Tama agrees with this, but it is also the wrong answer.</p><p>“No, her face specifically, is what, Prince Zuko?”</p><p>“Her face is...”</p><p>“Yes, go on.”</p><p>“Important?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Tama is not paid enough for this.</p><p>“Let us move on, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>“She doesn't trust me, is that it?” He holds up the salve he had painstakingly made, which Lady Yoko left without. “I made it right!”</p><p>“In a manner of speaking, no she does not trust you.” Tama sighs, and elects to save his strength. “What herbs are effective for migraine treatment, Prince Zuko?”</p><p>“Um. Feverfew, peppermint... ginger?”</p><p>“Yes. Correct, Prince Zuko. And that you have memorized such information in a short period of time, and not comprehend your social errors, is why I want to smack you.”</p><p>“I'm pretty sure that's treasonous.”</p><p>“It's only treason if I actually do something to you, Prince Zuko.”</p><p>Zuko glances at the guards outside of the infirmary who seem unperturbed by that comment and nods his head. He supposes that makes sense.</p><p>“Now please make tea for the treatment of migraines.”</p><p>“Okay.” Zuko turns around to the workbench. “Who are we treating?”</p><p>“Me, Prince Zuko. Or treason is the least of your worries.”</p><p>The sound of pots rattling and herb drawers being pulled tells Tama that Zuko has swiftly obeyed him.</p><p>Which is why Tama does not kick the young prince from his workroom, despite strongly desiring to do so.</p><p>Eventually it will get better when he coerces a promise from the prince to remain quiet when he is dealing with a patient.</p><p>Even more eventually, it will get worse when he approves of Zuko's ability to diagnose ailments, and he does so without prejudice through the halls of the palace. Loudly.</p><p>At least he has an apprentice who will not be scared off by the princess. If only because the prince is disturbingly used to her threats of bodily harm. Unlike his past four, <em>four</em> weak willed apprentices.</p><p>Really, the princess is nine, even if she is a budding terror.</p><p>Tama would be more concerned about the prince's lack of self preservation if he thought mind healing would be beneficial for the prince. However, Tama is concerned how Zuko would react if he were to learn that, “Zuzu, are you able stitch a stab wound one handed?” is not polite interest into Zuko's newfound healing interest. Nor is, “I can help you practice, brother, you know how many burn accidents happen in a fire bending household. Now hold still.”</p><p>He figures that for once, blissful ignorance may be the only thing keeping Prince Zuko alive and (acceptably) sane in the palace.</p><p>That and his quickly burgeoning fan club among the servants. Zuko practices his healing on the guards and clumsy, or perhaps cunning, maids. And they find it delightfully adorable when he goes out on his own to pick herbs.</p><p>Tama does have to admit that he had doubts in Zuko's healing prowess, those green fire rumors are spirit stories made up by desperate peasants. His quick healing is a peculiarity of Zuko being the bane of Tama's existence, and nothing more. But the prince has proven himself to be determined, and a quick learner.</p><p>Tama sighs and thinks that perhaps having a royal that knows more how to heal than harm may be a blessing for the future. He was the healer when Prince Iroh and Prince Ozai were children.</p><p>Zuko hands him a small red cup, filled with dark tea. He downs the glass and grimaces.</p><p>“How in agni's all-seeing light did you burn this?!” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There's going to be a lot of OCs in this series. And they play some decent supporting roles. FYI.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He should be dead.</p><p>Zuko isn't sure how he knows this, but there is something instinctual that tells him he should not be alive right now.</p><p>To be honest, if Zuko were lucid and not floating in a pain induced fog, he wouldn't quite believe he were alive. Instead his mind is cloudy and the taste of something nutty lingers on his tongue.</p><p>His face feels like it is on fire.</p><p>Zuko curls onto his right side and touches his face. His fingers are met by rough linen bandages and soft cotton.</p><p>His face <em>was</em> on fire, he thinks in a moment of clarity.</p><p>Suddenly he can smell the scent of flesh on fire and smoke. He can see his father.</p><p>His throat hurts too.</p><p>Zuko hears a faint noise to his left and rolls.</p><p>It is cloudy again, and Zuko loses himself to unconsciousness.</p><p>He can feel his father's hand on his face.</p><p>–</p><p>Tama was wrong, and he is both intensely angry for it (and other things), and very relieved.</p><p>It seems, the prince's prodigal healing is not just meant to try Tama's patience. It may have just saved the prince's life.</p><p>Prince Zuko is conscious. Not consistently and not at this moment. However Tama saw his gold eyes flicker open and his hands move. He can hear the prince murmur fever ridden thoughts. And that means, Tama hopes, that the prince will live.</p><p>Tama has never liked leaving his job up to hope. However it is all he can do now.</p><p>Third degree burns, which Prince Zuko's nigh exceed, are at high risk of infection. They also frequently destroy the underlying nerves and chi pathways of the victims: compromising feeling, movement, and bending.</p><p>His chi pathways are surprisingly intact. Tama cannot see them, not like some of the master fire benders of the nation, but there are herbs which can circuit these pathways and stimulate healing. Prince Zuko's seem to be delivering the balm to the correct places which allows Tama this quiet moment of watching the Prince.</p><p>And when Tama replaced the first set of bandages, soaked in burn ointment, Prince Zuko's wounds looked... okay. Certainly not good, but not, not what Tama was dreading.</p><p>His vision will be acceptable, he doubts there won't be some visual impact, but his eye is miraculously intact. And while his ear is damaged, Tama hopes most of it is aesthetic, there are small mercies that human ears are different than squirrel toads': eardrums on the inside and all that.</p><p>So hopefully, the prince will be as determined in surviving this, as he is in challenging the rest of the injuries of the palace.</p><p>And if he isn't, Tama will force him to be.</p><p>He begins to pack bandages and ointment into a small pack and tucks an Earth Kingdom herb book into the front. After the spectacle of the afternoon, sides were chosen by the servants, and really, there was only one option for Tama.</p><p>He places the pack on the tray by the door. The guard, by the name of Hiko, if Tama recalls, nods and gestures a servant inside. She takes the bundle, bows to Tama, then lowly to Prince Zuko, before scurrying away.</p><p>They must prepare now.</p><p>Lord Ozai had come into the infirmary earlier, just after exiting the agni kai chamber. His skin was already wrapped in his royal cloaks, but Tama could still smell the scent of burning hair.</p><p>“Is the boy going to live?”</p><p>Tama had startled, hands sticky from debridement, and had hastily bent at the waist, “My Lord.”</p><p>Lord Ozai had stood before him, quiet, eyes heavy on his son in fitful sleep.</p><p>Tama breathed deeply. And waited.</p><p>Zuko could not afford his mistakes.</p><p>“You may rise, healer.” Ozai proffered, full of self possession. He stood by the door, a passel of guards upright at attention behind him. “Will the boy live?”</p><p>Tama nodded, and began to apply ointments and bandages. He kept his eyes firmly placed on Ozai.</p><p>“Yes, my Lord. Prince Zuko is making a remarkable recovery. It will take some weeks, but he should-”</p><p>“How wonderful. It seems agni shines upon this day.”</p><p>“Yes.” Tama rested his hand on Zuko's shoulder, “It <em>is</em> most fortuitous, my Lord.”</p><p>“Fortuitous." Ozai let the word hang in the air. "Healer, your Prince has been here frequently.” It is more of a command than a question.</p><p>“Yes, my Lord.” Tama grabbed a towel, warm with water and placed it on the Prince's head. Firebenders: a weird lot. The worry is less fever and more chill.</p><p>“Azula has proven herself without the need of a healer.”</p><p>“My Lord?”</p><p>Ozai stood straight in the doorway, bracketed by wood and armored guards. Tama wondered, if his majesty would raze the palace in a display of anger, or if fire benders are strong enough not to burn. Wondered, treasonously, if Ozai is strong enough.</p><p>“Have the boy fit enough to survive a trip to the Earth Kingdom. No more.”</p><p>Tama wraped one long gauze around Zuko's eye. “Yes, my Lord.”</p><p>“And Tama.” Ozai turned to leave, “The palace no longer requires your services.”</p><p>Tama tied a knot at the Prince's right temple. Most of the bandaging is adhered by tucking the gauze in on itself, but it gave Tama something to do with his hands, besides clenching them. “Of course, my Lord.”</p><p>Ozai stared into the small infirmary for a moment more then leaves. His retinue was quick to follow.</p><p>Prince Zuko shifte in front of him and Tama smooths Zuko's hair back from his forehead. He didn't have the heart to shear more than necessary. The prince has more honor than any other in the capitol.</p><p>–</p><p>Word travels quick through the servants, Kiki is a motivated facilitator, and a cache of supplies is gathered in the hour.</p><p>Food, protein packed and dense from the woman who always saves Prince Zuko a sweet cake or extra helping of spicy noodles.</p><p>Clothes, warm for the unnatural chill of the Earth Kingdom winters, from the tailor Zuko has never yelled at even when she has accidentally pinned his sides.</p><p>Packs of herbs, from the children Zuko has fed the turle ducks with.</p><p>An engraved knife, twin swords, and a blue mask, for the three members of his family as good as gone, from Kiki.</p><p>They know the price they may pay for their theft, for aiding the soon to be banished prince, but it is worth it.</p><p>For when the sun peaks over the horizon, the Prince is whispered onto a ship to what is surely a death sentence.</p><p>It is a decommissioned war ship, small, old and unmarked. It will dock at the river between the colony of Yu Dao and the small port of Harbor Town. It will restock nothing, and deposit one small package, undocumented in the ship's supplies. The entirety of the trip will not make it into the naval registries, per Lord Ozai's orders. </p><p>A handful of servants and guards are aware of this and they flee to the outskirts of Caldera before they are banished or killed. Sides have been chosen, and not all feel they can keep theirs silent.</p><p>General Iroh, who stood by princess Azula's side and looked away, is not told by either side.</p><p>--</p><p>It is the end of Spring when Zuko wakes alone, in pain, in the forest by a river with a pack and a note. The words seem reminiscent of his mothers and he wonders if the servants <em>knew</em>. If they helped her slip into the night.</p><p>He wonders who he's leaving behind now, if any.</p><p>He does as he hopes his mother has: lives in hopes to meet them another day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Prologue done.<br/>I realize I write really short chapters. In my defense it looks longer in word. This may or may not continue in the next part of the series, but hopefully not. Zeh plot thickens after this.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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